The Meidum Pyramid rises from the desert about 100 km south of Cairo like a giant stone tower. It looks this way because its outer layers collapsed, leaving the core standing on a mound of rubble, and it marks a key step in the change from step pyramids to true, smooth-sided pyramids.
History
It was probably begun by King Huni, the last king of the 3rd Dynasty, as a step pyramid, and then converted by his successor Sneferu into a smooth pyramid by filling in the steps. At some point the outer casing slid away, perhaps because it rested on sand rather than rock. Sneferu went on to build the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid at Dahshur.
What to see
You can go inside: a long sloping passage leads down and then up into a small burial chamber with a corbelled roof. Nearby, the mastaba tombs of Meidum gave the world the statues of Prince Rahotep and his wife Nofret and the painting of the Meidum geese, both now in Cairo.
Visiting
Meidum is quiet and rarely visited. It is about two hours from Cairo and can be combined with Dahshur or the Fayoum. Ask us about our out-of-the-ordinary tours.
